This One Simple Change Can Fix America’s Broken Elections

Mike VineFreecoast Media - Original Content, Local Activism, News & Views

What if I told you that one simple change in how people vote could make election results better for everyone?

It’s called Approval Voting and it’s very boring and complicated, so don’t bother reading further!

No, wait, it’s actually just the same as how we vote now except one key change:

People should be able to vote for more than one candidate.

If you would accept, say, Chris Sununu and Frank Edelblut for Governor of New Hampshire – you just vote for both! If you think all the Republican primary candidates are good enough, except for that Donald Trump – then you just vote for all the others!

You might not believe it, but this simple change eliminates “spoilers” like Ralph Nader, “wasted votes” for 3rd parties, and it actually – scientifically – results in a winner that is acceptable to the greatest number of people. Not just the far right or far left, but the vast majority of us who fall somewhere in the middle.

Now I have good news and bad news…

GOOD NEWS – In 2011 and 2016, multiple NH State Reps introduced a bill to make Approval Voting legal in all New Hampshire elections.

BAD NEWS – The establishment wouldn’t let the House even consider the bill! They used a committee voice vote to stop it, meaning they could hide their opposition to this sensible reform from their constituents.

If you want to get involved in this reform effort, the easiest way is to support the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance at nhliberty.org.

To learn more about Approval Voting and why it matters, here are some links:

Simple overview from Porcupine Steve Cobb

Op-Ed in Favor of Approval Voting from Popular Science

How Approval Voting Might Have Changed the 2000 US Presidential Election and Helped Egypt Transition Away from Dictatorship

Why the Current Flawed Voting System Elected Donald Trump

Results of Republican Liberty Caucus Straw Poll in 2016 Presidential Primary, using Approval Voting

Statements on Approval Voting in New Hampshire from Professor Jason Sorens of Dartmouth: [1] [2]

And for the geeks among us…

Here’s how Approval Voting compares to its more sophisticated brother, Range Voting: [1] [2]

And more on the 2016 Presidential Election

Now isn’t that the most sensible idea you’ve heard in awhile?

 

Author: Mike Vine, Editor of The Freecoast